This invention relates to a removable vehicle trunk organizer comprising a container with a variable number of separated compartments and a reversible locking device for laterally securing the container within a vehicle trunk. The reversible locking device comprises a spiral throw-out lock with at least one extensible leg linked to an exterior actuator. The container with predetermined dimensions has four interconnected upstanding walls, and a bottom wall having an exterior surface. Each upstanding wall has a bottom edge connected to a peripheral edge of the bottom wall.
The removable vehicle trunk organizer is particularly useful for transporting grocery bags which tend to shift while being transported in the trunk or other space of a motorized vehicle. Typically, the contents of a grocery bag will spill out and have to be reassembled in the bag at the terminal location.
Handles may be provided directly into the side of the end wall to facilitate maneuvering the container into and out of the trunk, and to a location desired by the user.
Prior art devices include portable shopping bag racks as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,056, which secure the contents for side to side movement, and particularly lacks the capacity to provide secure transport against forward vehicle acceleration which could cause the packages therein to become dislodged and the contents strewn about the trunk space.
To alleviate this problem, and others which will become apparent from the disclosure which follows, the present invention conveniently combines a container of predetermined dimensions having four interconnected upstanding walls, and a bottom wall having an exterior surface, and a reversible locking device for laterally securing the container within a vehicle trunk. The reversible locking device for securing the container within the vehicle trunk comprises a spiral throw-out lock with at least one extensible leg, linked to an actuator arm that is disposed on an exterior surface of one of the walls, to engage the side walls of the trunk.
Unlike U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,210 there is no need for a permanent attachment means to the vehicle itself to stabilize the storage apparatus.
The container further comprises at least one interior divider that is pivotally connected to a bottom portion of the container and is movable between an upright dividing position and a felled position adjacent to the bottom wall. Each interior divider is held in the upright dividing position by at least one fastener disposed proximate an upper edge of one of the upstanding walls. The adaptability of such dividers allows a variety of objects of varying shapes to be stored and/or transported in the removable vehicle trunk organizer of this invention. The moveable dividers allow for ready accommodation for objects greater in size than a single compartment. FIG. 4 illustrates the use of a space within the container accommodating an elongated object requiring three compartments.
An advantage of the instant device is that it can have fixed dimensions which allow for easily handling by the user, and yet still be secured against lateral movement within the trunk space.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
Still other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure that follows.